Press



F. R. HIGLEY Aug. 25, 1936.

PRESS Filed Sept. 20, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR F. R. HGLEY Aug. 25, 1936.

PRESS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 20, 1955 1L. QTTORNEY s sneets-shet s PRESS F.- R. HIGLEY Filed sept. 2o, y1953 Aug. 25, 1936.

Patented Aug. 25, 1936 illili'i SS FATENT OFFIQE PRESS hlo Application September 20, 1933, Serial No. 690,263

16 Claims.

This improvement relates to presses of the type generally used in garment and laundry Work. It is an advantage in such presses to have the heated pressing member in a position removed from the operator so that the operator is not subjected to heat, and she is not so likely to have her hands caught between the coacting pressing members when final pressure is applied. These advantages have been heretofore recognized but the presses designed for realizing the advantages have the disadvantage that the moving parts are rst given a registering movement-and then a closing movement, the parts being substantially completely stopped where the change in direction of movement takes place with great loss of efficiency in defiecting the inertia forces from the path of registration into the closing path.

An obj ect of my invention is to provide coasting pressing members having a relative movement into registering position and a closing movement, and wherein one of said movementsis initiated before the other movement is completed.

Another object of the invention is to arrange power means for causing the two movements above mentioned and to cause the overlapping and blending of such movements so that the mean path of the movable pressing member from open position to closed position is a continuous curve.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the accompanying specification, together with the drawings in which Figs. 1 and 2 represent respectively a side elevation partly in section, and a partial front elevation of one embodiment of my invention; Figs. 3 and 4 are similar views of a modication, while Figs. 5 and 6 are similar views of a second modication.

While there are many ways in which a press might be constructed embodying my improved design, I have chosen to illustrate one in which a movable bed has an open position tilted toward the operator and a closed position tilted away from the operator. This specic arrangement is not necessary to obtain some of the advantages of my improved press but it has the advantage that there is a less acute angle between the path of the registering movement and the path of the closing movement.

In the form illustrated in Fig. 1, a frame I0 is shown supported on a three-point support com- .prising a rear leg Il and forward legs i2 and I 3. A head I4 is supported in a iixed position on the frame and the head may be heated if desired in any manner known to the art. A bed l5, adapted to coact with the head, is mounted for relative movement longitudinally of a supporting member I6 which is pivoted at I'I. The specific construction, seen more clearly in Fig. 2, comprises a stem I8 downwardly extending from the bed and having lateral extensions I9 in which a pair of rods 20 are adapted to slide. The Weight of bed I5, stem I8 and associated parts through most of their movement is carried by rollers 2l resting upon rails 22 carried by the frame. At the inward end of rails 22 cam surfaces 23 are formed to deect the moving parts from the path of registering movement toward the path of the closing movement.

I have illustrated power means for causing the registering and closing movement of the bed.

This power means comprises a cylinder 24 having a suitable piston 25 and a piston rod 26, which latter is aligned with the path of the closing movement between the coacting pressing members. Fluid pressure is supplied to cylinder 24 through conduit 2'I by means of suitable control valves not shown and which would be actuated by the operator. Piston rod 26 carries a guide 28 rigid therewith adapted to coact with a crosshead member 29 which is pivotally supported by the bed stem I8 at the point 30. When fluid pressure is applied beneath piston 25, the piston rod with its associated guide 28 is moved upwardly which causes cross-head 29 to slide rearwardly or to the left as seen in Fig. 1, along the guide surface 3l. This action causes the bed and its associated parts to be moved rearwardly, the rollers 2| travelling along rails 22 until they strike cam surfaces 23 where the parts begin to move in closing direction until they reach substantially the position shown in broken lines in Fig. 1. At this point, the bed with its stem I8 is directly in line with piston rod 26 and the stem is directly engaged by guide 28 so as to apply final pressure between the pressing members.

In the movement just described, it will be noted that the mean path A of the bed, as indicated by broken lines, will be a line slightly curved upwardly but substantially conforming to a parallel position above rails 22. Just before reaching registering position, this path gradually curves upwardly until it finally blends into the true path of the closing movement between the members.

In the modification shown in Figs. 3 and 4, similar parts have been similarly numbered with the suffix a and again it will be noted that bed I 5a has a downwardly extending stem Illa with projections lila adapted to slide along rods 20a which are pivoted at Ila, the rods 20a having stops 32 which limit the downward movement of the bed and its associated parts. The cylinder Ma has a piston a and a piston rod 26a which is in line with the path of the clising movement between the coacting pressing -members The connection between piston rod 25a and the projections la of the bed supporting stem comprises link arrangements 33, which are pivotecl to parts lla and a cross-member 42 which is rigid with the piston 25a and a piston rod 26a which is in line comprises a pair of bars 3K3 connected by crossmember 3l' in such a manner that bars Sli slide in cross-member 3l. Springs 38 are carried between cross-member 3i and one of the crossmembers in a manner to be compressed when the link is extended. A conduit 39 is provided for conducting uid pressure beneath piston 2.5.01, which will lift the piston and its associated piston rod tta thus acting through linkage 33 to move the bed 25a toward registering position with the Head lila. The linkage 33 will be extended little if any until the parts approach registering position. When the parts approach this position, rollers 4E! carried by the bed supporting stem i8@ coact with cam surfaces ll provided on the frame members and deflect the bed and associated parts in the direction of the closing movement.

When the parts reach substantially the position shown in broken lines in Fig. 3, the bed supporting stem lila is in alignment with piston rod 2M and the end of the rod contacts a suitable boss 43 on the stem to apply nal pressure between the pressing members. The end of the piston rod and the boss may be arranged in an interfltting manner, as illustrated, for the purpose of maintaining better registration between the parts. Upon release of huid pressure beneath piston 25a, the springs 38 which were compressed during the final closing movement will kick the bed supporting stem Ita downwardly and the bed and its associated parts will be moved outwardly or forwardly by cam surfaces lll acting on rollers Ii. These parts may be arranged in a manner adapted to return the bed to its forward or open position, but I prefer to open the press by power. To that end the piston 25a is made double-acting, fluid pressure being supplied thereto through a conduit M at the upper end of cylinder 24a which moves the piston and its piston rod 28a downwardly thus returning the bed to its forward position by power applied through the linkages 33.

It will be noted that the mean path of bed ia in Fig. 3, as indicated by the broken line B, is substantially that of an arc convex upwardly until the registering position is approached, whereupon the arc is blended by a .smooth curve into the path of final closing movement.

In Figs. 5 and 6, a still further modification of my improved press is shown, comprising a frame l 9b supporting a head lflb preferably by means of compression springs 5, and a bed i511 is supported on members 2Gb pivoted to the frame at I'lb. In a manner similar to the previously described presses, a stem lb extends below the bed and has lateral projections lflb adapted to slide on the supporting members 29h. For causing movement of the bed support longitudinally of the supporting members Zeb, I provide toggles i6 and fil pivotally connected at knuckle 48, and it will be apparent that pressure applied to the knuckle to move it rearwardly will straighten the toggles and cause movement of the bed l5?) longitudinally along the supporting members Zilli. For guiding the movement of bed |51) during the registering movement and for blending the registering movement into the closing movement, I

provide link supports 49 extending between a table 5@ supported on the frame and the lateral projections lSb of the bed supporting stem.

I provide power means for causing the registering and closing movements of the bed and in this modification the cylinder need not be mounted in line with the closing movement of the pressing members. To this end I show a cylinder 5i having a suitable piston 52 and a piston rod 53 which is connected by a suitable link eil to the toggle knuckle 58. Fluid pressure is supplied to cylinder 5i through conduit 55 under the control of the operator (the control valves not being shown) which moves piston 52 and its associated rod and linkage rearwardly or to the left in Fig. 5. The bed H51) will be swung rearwardly by the pull of link El on knuckle i8 but the toggles fl and il will not be extended until the movement of the bed is resisted by links #i9 as the bed approaches registering position. Further movement of the piston rod and link 5t will cause a straightening of the toggle members and will move the pressing members into inal closed position. Upon release of the pressure in cylinder El, the bed returns to its forward or open position due to the weight of the parts swinging on links 35.

The link supports Gi, between the table 5f; and

the bed supporting stem, insure a smooth curve I between the path of registering movement and the path of final closure, the links i9 swinging from their full line position to the broken line position indicated in Fig. 5. The mean path of the movable bed in the modification just described will be substantially as shown by the broken line C of Fig. 5 and it will be noted that the path of registering movement is a curve concave upwardly and that the entire path of movement is a smooth curve Without change in the direction of curvature.

Whatever form is devised for the application of the principle of press operation here disclosed, it will be seen that I have provided a press which may be operated much more rapidly than presses of the prior art, as I have obviated the necessity of decreasing the momentum of the moving parts to substantially a zero point upon reaching registering position, and again increasing the momentum of these parts in the direction of final pressure.

What I claim is:

1. In a press of the class described, the combination of a fixed head, a member pivoted therebelow, a bed movable with said member about its pivot from an open position to a position registering with the head, said bed being mounted for relative movement longitudinally of said member, a fluid motor for causing movement of the bed, an operative connection between said fluid motor and said member so arranged that operation of the motor causes angular movement of the member, and coincidental movement of the bed 'longitudinally of the member before the bed reaches registering position.

2. In a press of the class described, the combination of a xed head, a member pivoted therebelow, a bed movable with said member about its pivot from an open position to a position registering with the head, said bed being mounted for relative movement longitudinally of said member, a fluid motor for causing movement of the bed, a link connection between said uid motor and said member for causing angular movement of said member, and cam means for causing movement of the bed longitudinally of said member before the. bed reaches registering position.

3. In a press of the class described, the combination of a Xed head, a member pivoted therebelow, a bed movable with said member about its pivot from an open position to a position registering with the head, said bed being mounted for relative movement longitudinally of said member, a fluid motor for causing movement of the bed, a cam connection between said fluid motor and said member for causing angular movement of said member, and cam means for causing movement of the bed longitudinally of said member before the bed reaches registering position.

4. In a press of the class described, the combination of a iixed head, a member pivoted therebelow, a bed movable with said member about its pivot from an open position to a position registering with the head, said bed being mounted for relative movement longitudinally of said member, a fluid motor for causing movement of said bed, an operative connection between said fluid motor and said member for causing angular movement of the member, and toggle means for causing movement of the bed longitudinally of said member before the bed reaches registering position.

5. In a press of the class described, the combination of a xed base, a head carried by said base, a supporting member pivotally mounted on said base and adapted to swing forward and rearward toward and away from said head, a bed slidably connected to said member, and means for moving said bed in a continuous curved path toward said head and into pressing engagement therewith and comprising means for causing said member to swing, and said bed to slide thereon simultaneously.

6. In a press of the receding buck type having a base, a stationary head thereon and a buck cooperative with said head, means interassociating said buck and base` for movement of said buck relative to said head between open and closed positions, and comprising pivotal means providing for translatory components of buck movement generally horizontally between said head and the operator and tilting components of buck movement toward and from the operator dependent upon said translatory movement, and buck-supporting means providing vertical components of buck movement dependent upon said translatory movement, coincident with a part of the latter approaching closed position.

7. In a press of the receding buck type having a stationary head and a cooperative buck, pivotal means mounting said buck and providing for its continuous movement in a curved path leading between closed position in pressing relation with said head and open position substantially removed therefrom toward the operator, without change in the direction of curvature of said path, said mounting means including pivotal means arranged to tilt said buck during said movement.

8. In a press of the class described, a pressing head inclined downwardly away from the operator, a pressing bed movable along a path from an open position forward of the head to a position for coacting therewith, and means for moving said bed along said path and into pressing engagement with said head, said means being arranged to present said bed in its open position tilted forwardly relative to its pressing position.

9. In a press of the class described, a pressing head inclined downwardly away from the operator, a pressing bed movable along a path from an open position forward of the head to a position for coasting therewith, means for tilting said bed toward the operator in its open position, and means for moving said bed along said path and into engagement with said head while tilting said bed away from the operator.

l0. In a press of the class described, a pressing bed having a registering movement away from the operator and into position for coaction with a pressing head and a closing movement into pressing engagement with said head, means for causing said movements, and means for deflecting the inertia forces generated by said registering movement into a curved path nally substantially tangent to the path of said closing movement.

l1. In a press of the class described, the combination of a xed head, a rod means having a fixed pivot therebelow, a bed movable with the rod about its pivot and relative to the rod longitudinally thereof whereby to coact with the head, means effective upon said rod means for changing its position about its pivot and simultaneonsly effective upon said bed for causing movement thereof longitudinally of the rod means, and including pressure applying means arranged to be eifective upon said bed independent of said rod means when the latter is in pressing position.

12. In a press of the receding buck type having a stationary head tilted downwardly away from the operator and substantially removed from the operators position, a cooperative buck, means mounting said buck and providing for its continuous tilting and translatory movement in a curved path between open position toward the operator and closed position in pressing relation with said head, the end of said path toward open position being generally horizontal and the end of said path toward closed position being substantially perpendicular to the pressing face of said head.

13. In a press of the class described, a frame having a bed mounted thereon for movement between a rearward pressing position removed from the operator and disposed tiltedly therefrom, and a forward open position adjacent the if operator and disposed tilted forwardly relative to said pressing position, said movement including translatory motion of said bed along a path having an intermediate part lower than an end part, a stationary head located and disposed upon said frame for pressing cooperation with said bed in said pressing position, and means for causing actuation of said bed.

14. In a press of the class described, the combination of a frame, a stationary head carried thereby, rod means pivoted below said head, a bed carried by said rod means and movable longitudinally thereof, a cylinder and piston motor mounted on the frame, cam means carried by the piston rod of said motor and engaging said bed, and said cam means being constructed and arranged to swing said bed and rod means about said pivot until said bed registers with said head and simultaneously to move said bed longitudinally of said rod means and finally into engagement with said head during a stroke of the piston.

l5. In a press of the class described, the combination of a frame, a stationary head carried thereby, rod means pivoted below said head, a bed carried by said rod means and movable 1ongitudinally thereof, a cylinder and piston motor mounted on the frame with its piston rod directed toward the head, a link connection bctween said bed and piston rod adapted during the rst part of a piston stroke to swing said about its pivot to carry the bed forward of the head and rearward into registry therewith, a link having one end pivotally mounted on said frame intermediate the forward and rearward positions of the bed and having its other end pivotally connected with the bed, and said link being of such a length that the bed is constrained to move in a path nally substantially normal to said head.

FRANK R. HIGLEY.

Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,052,045. August 25, 1936. FRANK R. HIGLEY It is hereby certified that errors appear in the printed speoieation of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2, rst column, line 3, for clising read closing; and lines 9 and 10, strike out the Words piston 25a and a piston rod 26a which s in line comprises a pair of bars 34 connected by and insert instead piston rod. In the form illustrated, this linkage comprises a pair of bars 54 connected by cross-members 35 and a single bar 86 carrying a; and that the said Letters Patent should be read With these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oce.

Signed and sealed this 3d day of November, A. D. 1936.

[SEAL] HENRY VAN ARSDALE,

Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

